1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a food composite capable of performing a function of improving serum lipid.
In the invention, the term "function of improving serum lipid" means:
(1) a function of reducing serum lipid and total cholestrol in serum; and PA1 (2) a function of improving serum lipo-protein metabolism. PA1 (1) function of reducing cholesterol in serum and liver; PA1 (2) function of saving increase of blood glucose; PA1 (3) function of regulating large bowel; and the like. PA1 (a) After hydrolysis with .alpha.-amylase, or after hydrolysis with glucoamylase following the hydrolysis with .alpha.-amylase, the solution is refined through known processes of filtration, decolorization, and deionization. PA1 (b) After completing treatment (a), a further treatment separates the dextrin fraction with chromatography by ion-exchanger resins.
2. Description of Prior Art
Increases in serum lipid and cholesterol in serum and decrease in the relative content of HDL-cholesterol called benign cholesterol, can be said to be malignant factors for various circulatory diseases, such as arteriosclerosis, cerebral infarction or adult diseases such as, obesity, diabetes or the like.
It is also a recent trend in Japan that the rate of occurrence of the mentioned diseases has sharply increased with the westernization of foods for meals. The invention intends to provide a food composite performing the function of decreasing serum lipid and cholesterol in serum while increasing the relative content of HDL-cholesterol.
Hitherto, dietary fibers have been well known as material performing the function of decreasing the mentioned serum lipid, etc. Generally, dietary fibers are divided into water-soluble dietary fibers and insoluble ones, and their typical physiological functions have been reported as follows:
Among the above functions, it is generally said that function (1) is effective for preventing various disorders caused by the negative relation between intestinal flora and metabolite, abdominal inflation, restraint of absorbing nutritious material, inhibition of circulation through bowel and liver, and so on. It is also said, however, that in the case of these dietary fibers, the insoluble fibers represented by cellulose have a disadvantage in view of taste and texture, and that, though the soluble fibers represented by guar gum and pectin are certainly advantageous in view of performing such useful physiological function of saving increase of blood glucose and inhibition of cholesterol, they have also a disadvantage of giving a negative affect on the absorption of useful metals. Moreover, because of high viscosity, there arises a further disadvantage of making it difficult to take them in a large quantity and, as a result, uses of these fibers are quite limited.
As noted above, westernization and diversification of meals have taken place in Japan and the mentioned diseases have been increasing.
The inventors of the present application have noticed the existence of pyrodextrin that has never been considered as a food material and, after having repeated studies and tests on whether or not pyrodextrin inhibits the performance of serum lipid, have come to reach a new idea of developing a novel food composite capable for performing such a function as improving serum lipid.